Being True
by PastelAndPaint
Summary: Even though Sofia is all grown up now, she still has nightmares that she's not a true Princess. She decides to visit a certain royal sorcerer for comfort... who also needs comforting as well.


It was a beautiful, magical night in Enchancia. The stars shimmered and twinkled while flickering fireflies zoomed by. The royal sorcerer of Enchancia stood in his tower, his gaze focused on the dark sky. What was this sorcerer's name? Cedric, of course. However, he was more commonly known as Goodwin the Great's son. Just the extra spare. Someone just hopelessly stuck in between. A nobody. Cedric's father was considered the greatest sorcerer to ever wave a wand. Cedric? Well, most considered him to be the puniest. In the eyes of Princess Sofia, Cedric was a hero. Nothing she could do, unfortunately, managed to cheer him up. Nothing at all.

It had been many years since King Roland married the shoemaker named Miranda. Sofia had grown into a stunning and beautiful woman. A kind and generous one at that. When Sofia was little, King Roland gave her a very special gift. The Amulet of Avalor. It was a pretty necklace... but it wasn't just any necklace. It had the power to grant magical abilities for the wearer with each deed performed, good or bad. After a while, Cedric had grown cold-hearted after many insults constantly being thrown his way. He felt if he found a way to steal Princess Sofia's amulet, he could overthrow King Roland and take over the kingdom of Enchancia. He would prove everyone wrong and no one would ever tease him again. No one would look down upon him. In his fantasies, everyone would always look up to him and every spell he would cast would always go as planned.

After a while, Sofia managed to warm his bitter heart and give him a little self-esteem in the process. What if he had the chance to steal her necklace? No, he couldn't, he just couldn't. Despite his selfish mindset, he didn't want to know how broken-hearted Sofia would be if he betrayed her. After many attempts to steal the young girl's amulet, he gave up.

Cedric rubbed his shoulders as a chilly breeze came his way. He sighed, trying to look at the bright side of things. Instead, his heart sank as he fought back tears. He was usually pretty strong but he couldn't hold in his sea of emotions anymore. As Cedric gazed at the night sky, he let out a soft sob. The sorrowful sorcerer buried his face in his palms. Cedric's raven, Wormwood, let out a confused crow while he sat on his shoulder. Suddenly, the lonesome sorcerer heard a melodic and rhythmic knock on the door.

Cedric whispered to Wormwood with a look of annoyance, "Merlin's mushrooms. There she is again."

It was a cheerful knock and Cedric knew it all too well. He wiped the tears from his brown, beady eyes and straightened his shoulders.

"Come in." Cedric muttered.

The royal sorcerer closed his eyes as he heard the door creak open. He turned around to see a gorgeous sight. There she was. The loveliest girl in Enchancia. Cedric knew he could never be with her and he knew it was incredibly foolish to believe that he could. She was a beautiful and loving dove and him... well, he was just an ugly and worthless dragon. Princess Sofia was in her blue nightgown but she seemed a bit spooked. Her wavy, soft brown hair seemed a bit frazzled as well. She looked at Cedric with innocent blue eyes. Cedric gulped as he felt his stomach flutter and his heart skip a beat.

The royal sorcerer stuttered as Sofia took a few steps closer to him, "W-What are you doing here s-so late, Princess Sofia?"

Sofia blushed and tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear. Cedric became hopeful and crossed his fingers behind his back, just dreaming that maybe Princess Sofia had feelings for him as well.

"I, uh, had a bad dream."

Disappointed, Cedric frowned at her and became a bit skeptical. He crossed his arms and said with a hint of sarcasm in his voice, "Princess, it's been many years and I'm not sure if you noticed this yet but I'm a _royal_ sorcerer. I regret to inform you that I'm not a _royal_ bedtime specialist. I'm not a _royal_ counselor for that matter. The fact is, I'm not here for your _royal_ problems."

Sofia gulped and stared at the ground, feeling hurt by the sorcerer's words.

Cedric continued, his voice becoming sharper, "You have everything handed to you on a golden platter. E-Everything. There is someone out there, I guarantee you, looking at the stars at this very moment and just... dreaming... of getting... half of what you h-have."

It suddenly hit him. He was speaking about himself. He wanted what Sofia had. Sofia was surprised by Cedric's temper and she took a few steps back. Cedric realized what he had done with a pang of guilt.

"I'm so sorry."

Sofia shrugged her shoulders and shook her head, pretending to be okay.

"Oh, it's okay! It's my fault. I'm, uh, fit as a fiddle. I'm really sorry for coming so late. My apologizes! It won't happen again."

Sofia turned and started walking towards the door when Cedric spoke up with a soft voice.

"No, no, it's my fault, Princess. I'm just not having a good night either, I guess."

_What am I thinking? I'm acting like a fool. I never act like this._

Beaming, the young Princess turned around. The way her face lit up put Cedric in a trance. They looked into each other's eyes for a moment.

"You really mean it?"

Cedric nodded. Much to the sorcerer's surprise, Sofia ran up to him and embraced him in a tight hug. After Sofia let go, he looked at her for a moment. To him, she was so gorgeous when she smiled.

The sorcerer murmured, dreamily, saying his thoughts out loud, "So pretty..."

"Huh?"

Cedric felt his knees go weak and his temperature rise.

He said, sheepishly, "So pretty. The night is so pretty."

Sofia twirled in her nightgown as she exclaimed with excitement, "I know! I love seeing the fireflies, don't you?"

She let out a long, sweet sigh. She walked closer to the window, Cedric following. The young Princess narrowed her eyes as she looked at the stars. Her face suddenly brightened. She pointed to the sky, seemingly at nowhere. Cedric raised an eyebrow.

"Um, what?"

Sofia giggled and moved closer to him; so close that they were almost touching. Cedric felt a nervous shiver run down his spine. Sofia giggled once again and grabbed his arm, pulling him closer to the window with a graceful and gentle pull of her hand. She smiled, her rosy cheeks standing out more than ever.

"Don't you see it?"

"See what?" Cedric asked, wondering what she meant. "What on Earth are you talking about, Sofia? I don't see anything!"

While Cedric was looking at the sky in curiosity, Sofia stood on her tiptoes and pulled on his bow tie so he could be on her level. Before Cedric could even react, she planted a kiss on his cheek, leaving a smear of pink lipstick. Wormwood, who was still sitting on Cedric's shoulder, let out a shocked crow. Sofia laughed softly at the sorcerer's flustered, bashful expression. A fuzzy warm feeling spread all over Cedric and it was unlike anything he had ever felt. It was unlike any magic he had ever witnessed, practiced, or experienced. Oh, it was far better. Sofia smiled and tapped his shoulder to regain his attention. She rubbed her shoulder awkwardly. Cedric looked at her again but this time he felt different. He felt changed somehow.

Sofia snickered with a mischievous glint in her eyes, "There is something in the sky, though! Look harder."

Cedric squinted his eyes so hard he thought his face would ache.

Sofia told him with a smile, "It's a heart, silly!"

Cedric tilted his head. She was right! The stars seemed to form the shape of a perfect heart.

He whispered, breathlessly, "Well, I'll be a dragon's uncle... it is a heart..."

Sofia chortled and continued, "And see that over there? It's a bunny nibbling on a carrot! It looks like Clover chowing down again. He looks just like that when he stuffs his cheeks full!"

Cedric soon forgot all of his worries and all of his troubles when he was around Princess Sofia.

He murmured, as if seeing things in a new light, "You're right. You know, I-I never really though of it before."

Sofia pointed out the Big Dipper and several other well known constellations. The Enchancian sky seemed so magical. It was almost as if all these constellations were there for a purpose; for Cedric and Sofia.

As the two continued to star gaze, Cedric realized there was a pattern that looked a lot like Wormwood trapped in an ice cube. He glanced at his raven friend and pointed the pattern out to him.

"It looks like you, Wormy! It looks like you during that time when I accidentally... froze you."

Wormwood rolled his eyes and flapped his wings in disgust.

"Don't remind me of that." Wormwood bitterly replied.

Cedric, unfortunately, could only hear angry crows. Sofia could hear him, however, because her enchanted amulet gave her the power to talk to animals. She came up to Wormy and stroked his feathers.

"Don't worry, Ceddie loves you."

The Princess of Enchancia covered her mouth when she realized that she had given Cedric such a silly nickname. Her round, youthful face became as red as freshly-picked cherry, but Cedric didn't seem to mind at all.

Shaking his finger, Cedric scolded her in a joking manner, "Don't be so sweet to him now, Princess Sofia. You'll give him a cavity!"

Cedric grinned, his laughter echoing through his gloomy tower, "Poseidon's pumpkins! I remember that day like it was only yesterday."

Cedric added with slight sadness as he shrugged his shoulders, "I guess fate just seems to hold a grudge against Wormy and I."

Sofia could see that something was bothering him.

"What's wrong?" Sofia asked gently.

Cedric dismissed her question. He didn't want to look like an overly emotional buffoon. Cedric knew she would probably laugh if he told her. He walked away and tried to distract himself from Sofia's question. He grabbed a random spell book from his shelves near his desk and started mindlessly flipping through it, pretending to be busy. Sofia knew better. Something was definitely upsetting him. When Princess Sofia approached him, Wormwood took flight and left Cedric's side to land on his perch. Cedric tried to avoid eye contact but he couldn't help but take a single look at her. When he did, he melted inside. She placed her small, dainty hand on his shoulder which made Cedric freeze and stiffen his posture. With a melodramatic sigh, Cedric finally put the spell book away. Sofia clearly wasn't going to give up until he gave her an explanation. He might as well.

Sofia inquired with a tender and delicate voice, "What's going on? You can tell me, I promise."

Cedric rolled his eyes. He didn't like being pitied.

"Please say something." Sofia whispered.

The royal sorcerer smirked and lifted up his head. He responded with a chuckle, "Something."

Even though the young woman was used to the old sorcerer being stubborn, she was becoming frustrated and impatient. Cedric finally spoke up when Princess Sofia gave him a harsh glare.

"Fine, fine, fine! First, my dear, let's have a spot of tea, shall we?"

The royal sorcerer grabbed his purple wand out of his vest and twirled it in his hands with a smug look on his face. He winked at Sofia as he recited his spell incantation in a slow and steady way, "Posuit mensam!"

A burst of radiant light came shooting out of his wand, illuminating his entire tower. It was if Cedric's workshop was glowing; a lighthouse in Enchancia for all to see. A small table set for two appeared right before Sofia's eyes. With another wave of Cedric's wand, another bolt of light came flying out. An explosion of blue glitter blinded Sofia for a moment. She closed her eyes tightly and turned away. She opened her eyes to see a blue blanket covering the table. A teapot, a pair of cups, and a pair of golden plates were awaiting them. Jiggly-wiggly pudding was on Sofia's plate much to her delight. After all, it was her step dad's favorite and hers as well! She quickly sat in the chair as she licked her lips and her mouth watered. Cedric put his wand back in his vest as he took a seat. He stared at Princess Sofia as she devoured her pudding within minutes in a not-so-Princess-like manner.

"I see you're very hungry, Miss Sofia. So, madame, what would you like next? An elephant I suppose?" Princess Sofia looked up from her plate, her mouth still full. She narrowed her eyes and pouted.

Cedric exclaimed with a deep chuckle, "Whoa! If looks could kill! Okay, I'll give you a little credit, you were using your silverware."

Sofia shook her head as she finished her last bite and wiped her mouth with a napkin. As Cedric poured tea in their glass cups, he glanced at the portrait of his parents and wondered if they were listening.

Cedric leaned in and whispered, his eyes sparkling with mischief, "Just between you and me... you have way better table manners than my dad. No knows this but he eats with his _bare hands._"

Sofia's eyes widened as she was taking a sip of tea. All of a sudden, she spit it out all over Cedric in a seemingly unstoppable fit of laughter. Cedric was drenched but he didn't mind.

Cedric said with a dreamy smile on his face, "Just letting you know, if this tea was steaming hot, I would of sent you to the moon and back! Never miss with someone who knows magic, my dear."

Sofia giggled and grabbed a thick lock of her hair. She put it up to her face and pretended it was a mustache.

The Princess bellowed in a deep voice, "I am Goodwin the Great and I would like two cups of hot fudge sundae with rice on the side; the rice all the way from the kingdom of Kaldun! Oh, um, don't forget the sprinkles!"

"Sprinkles? Really?" Cedric laughed. Sofia giggled and snorted. Princess Sofia was usually laid-back and reserved as a proper Princess should be but Cedric was starting to see a different side of her as their conversation dragged on. Leaving their worries behind, they shared jokes and funny stories. Sofia almost forgot why she came to Cedric's tower in the first place! Sofia remembered that Cedric was supposed to tell her why he was in such a sour mood when she arrived. Her face grew serious and Cedric dreaded whatever she was going to say.

"Why were you so upset earlier? What's up?"

"Ceiling." Cedric managed to reply with a straight face.

Sofia planted a hand on her forehead. As Sofia continued to prod and nag him, Cedric finally spoke, his voice becoming solemn. He told her that he felt like he was constantly being compared to his father. Cedric explained that he wondered if he would ever reach those high expectations and be something of value.

Cedric sighed, "I'm just worthless."

Stunned, Sofia stuttered and retorted, "W-Worthless? You're w-worth everything t-to me!"

Cedric rolled his eyes as he rested his arm on the table. He wasn't convinced. After all, she was nice to everyone. She always said things like that.

"Worth more than than the Hocus Crocus growing on Mistbow Mountain?"

"Yes, even that." Sofia replied.

_She thinks I'm better than the rarest flower in all of Enchancia? _

"You really think so?"

"With all of my heart, Mister..."

Cedric warned, "Don't say it..."

"Cee-dric." Sofia teased, almost whispering.

She added, "I really think you're worth more than Hocus Crocus. With all of my heart, Cedric. I really do."

Cedric was quite literally spellbound with Princess Sofia; he couldn't hide his blushing anymore. He was totally smitten. He shook his head and cleared his thoughts.

_Enough with all of these mushy shenanigans! _

The royal sorcerer tried to get a grip with reality as his mind continued to race.

"What about you? Didn't you say you had a nightmare?" Cedric asked, trying to change the subject.

"Oh."

"Well?" Cedric prompted. He felt his eyes grow heavy as he let out a loud yawn. Princess Sofia took a huge breath and released her emotions.

"I had a nightmare that I failed the Royal Prep finals. I failed. I wasn't a true Princess. I had to live back in the village. In my dream, I tried to look on the bright side of things but even Ruby and Jade didn't like me anymore. Lucinda hexed me. I was stuck on a cliff above a shark-infested ocean. There was lighting and thunder all around me! That's when I woke up. I have a big test coming up two days from now and I'm scared. I know my friends would never do that to me but... what if I don't pass? What will they think? What will mom think?"

Tears streamed down Princess Sofia's face. Cedric looked at her with tender sympathy even though he was extremely sleepy. He leaned over the table and gently wiped her tears.

"You're a true Princess to me." Cedric reassured her, his voice filled with understanding and compassion.

"Really?"

"Always." Cedric managed to say before slowly closing his eyes and falling asleep in his chair.

Princess Sofia let out a soft giggle. She quietly got out of her chair and reached for the green blanket that was hanging on his clothing line. She tugged on the blanket and it came lose, falling into her hands. She tip-toed to Cedric's side and wrapped the blanket around him. Sofia kissed the cheek of the snoring sorcerer and whispered, "You're a true sorcerer to me."

As Princess Sofia headed towards her bedroom chambers, Cedric opened his eyes and smiled.

_Maybe I don't need an amulet to tell me I'm a good sorcerer. If Princess Sofia likes me, how bad can I be?_

* * *

Yes, I got that last part from Wreck It Ralph. I hope you enjoyed!


End file.
